Bamboo draperies



Nov. 22, 1955 R. E. SMITH 2,724,434

BAMBOO DRAPERIES Filed Aug. 16, 1952 United States Patent Otice2,724,434 Patented Nov. 22, 1955 BAMBOO DRAPERIES Ralph E. Smith,Chicago, Ill. Application August 16, 1952, Serial No. 304,780 1 Claim.(Cl. 160-348) This invention relates to certain new and usefulimprovements in bamboo draperies and has for one of its principalobjects the provision of an improved construction of this characterwhich will be highly etcient in use and economical in manufacture.

A further and equally important object of the invention is the provisionof draperies of this character in which there are preformed folds orpleats to present a pleasing appearance when such draperies are hung.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of partsto be hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanyingdrawings showing the preferred form of construction and in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a drapery embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the back of the draperyshowing the binding and forming of the folds;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 4-4 of Fig. 2;and

Fig. 5 is a sectional detail view taken substantially on line 5 5 ofFig. 4.

In the drawings showing the preferred form of construction, the draperyis indicated at 10, such drapery being constructed of verticalsubstantially rounded bamboo staves 11, of approximately the size ofmatch sticks. Such bamboo staves 11 are bound together in a verticalspaced apart position by lock stitching 12, in a manner well known inthe art.

To the rear and adjacent the topperipheral edge 13 of the drapery 10,and at right angle to the plane of the staves 11, is a reinforcedbacking 14. This backing runs the full breadth of the drapery and isstitched as at 15 to the staves 11, in the same manner as the lockstitching 12.

In making the full drape elect a section of the drapery 10 is folded orpleated as at 16, in the upper end portion of the drapery 10. At thebase of the fold or pleat 16 a Wire snap ring 17 is passed through thebacking 14 and around a number of staves 11, as viewed in Fig. 5, tomaintain the fold. A pair of these snap rings 17 are passed through thebacking 14 and around the staves 11, at each edge of the backing 14 andadjacent the lock stitching 15, as viewed in Fig. 3. Itis of importancethat this snap ring 17 embrace a number of staves 11, so that anypressure thereon will be resisted by the staves 11 and the backing 14equally.

The size of the fold or pleat 16 can be determined by the amount ofstaves 11 used in the fold itself. Thus, if a large full fold 16 isdesired, a greater number of staves 11 are included in the fold beforethe snap ring 17 is attached. j

In actual use the draperies 10 may, if desired, be hung beneath acornice 18, as viewed in Fig. l.

Whether open or closed, such draperies will hang in beautiful, gracefulfolds by reason of the permanent folds constructed in the upper portionthereof.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form ofconstruction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable ofvariation and modification without departing from the spirit of theinvention. l, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precisedetails of construction set forth, but `desire to avail myself of suchvariations and modications as come within the scope of the appendedclaim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire toprotect by Letters Patent is:

A drapery comprising a body including a plurality of rigid bamboo stavesstitched together at predetermined points throughout their length inclose parallel spaced apart vertical relation, an independent backingstrip extending in a horizontal plane with respect to said body adjacentthe top peripheral edge thereof and having each stave stitched theretoin their spaced apart vertical relation between the uppermostpredetermined stitched points, a hollow circular pleat formed in saidtop peripheral edge portion of said body and said backing strip, andsnap rings projecting through said backing strip adjacent its stitchingto said bamboo staves and embracing a plurality of said staves to formsaid body into permanent hollow pleats throughout its length.

References Cited inthe file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 64,062Binner Apr. 23, 1867 1,904,194 BiXer Apr. 18, 1933 2,059,672 Tucker Nov.3, 1936 2,275,984 Nitchman Mar. 10, 1942 2,475,251 Petti July 5, 1949

